Antitheft device for safes



:AN'TITHEFT DEVICE FOR SAFES I Filed Oct. 20, 1928 Patented Jan. 14, 193-34] PATENT OFFICE MARY ELGILL, OF ST. LOUIS, MISSOURI ANTI'IHEFT DEVICE FOR SAFES Application filed October 20, 1928. Serial No. 313,759.

This invention relates to anti-theft devices for safes and consists of the novel construc tion hereinafterdisclosed. 1

An object of the invention isto provide a device adapted to be mounted in a safe, having means for spraying the contents of the safe with a distinctive colored fluid, in the event the safe is opened by an unauthorized person and within a period that the safe is it set to remain closed. l

The full advantages of the construction will be apparent from the following, detailed description thereoftaken infconnection with thedra-wing in which I Fig. 1 is a cross section through the safe showing the device of the invention asso-, ciated therewith. f Fig. 2 is a vertical section of a, portionof the safe illustrating the construction. 7

Figs. 3, 4t and 5 are details of a latch device associatedwith the mechanism,'showing the device in its several positions.

In the embodiment ofthc invention illustrated in the drawing, the construction is shown associated with a safe 1 having a hinged door2' controlled by the usual combination lock lVithin the upper part of the safe, there is a quantity of fluid so controlled that when. the'safe door is opened by an un-. authorized person, within a period of time during which the safe is set to remain closed, said fluid will be sprayed to. thelower portion of the safe chamber, and onto the contents thereof to mark the same.

The construction consists of a tank sup,- ported at'the top of the safe, said tank having a filler cap 5. This tank is arranged to contain a'fluid, such as redink, in a sufi'icient quantity to constitute a source ofsupply for a spray which is distributedacross the bottom portion of the safe below a spray nozzle 6.

It will'be understood that the contents of the safe,'for example, currency, may be ar ranged in piles with'the separate sheets vertical so that the upper edges will be presented tothe spray and will thereby be sprayed.

The separatesheets of currency will thus be marked with the identifying fluid, when the device operates under conditions that would resultfro'm the unauthorized opening'of the safe door during a time interval for which the Safe is set against authorized opening of the cor.

The contents of a tank a are, conducted, under pressure, to the spray nozzle by a conduit 7 that leads through a gearpump 8. The gear pump 8 is actuatedby a spring motor 9 which drives a shaft 10, said shaft driving the shaft 11 of the gear pump through a train of speed increasing gearing, comprising a gear 12 on the shaft 10. The gear 12 meshes with a pinion 13 which in turn drives a gear 14, meshing with a pinion 15 carried by the shaft 11 upon which one of the gears 16 of the gear pump is mounted. The gear 1 1 in turn drives the other gear 17 of the gear pump. This construction last described will be recognized as a standard construction of alarm clocks in whichthe gear pump shaft corresponds to the operated shaft for the alarm.

It will be unnecessary to enter into the details of construction for controlling the operation of the spring motor that actuates the gear pump, because this is the standard time mechanism of an alarm clock adapted for the release .of the spring motor to operate the pump within a predetermined interval of time, determined by the setting of the alarm mechanism. It is suflicient to point to the fact that the spring motor for operating the pumpis under. the control of a pawl 18 and a' ratchet wheel 19. The pawl 18 is carried by a shaft 20 and has an extendingarm 21. The shaft 20 is held from oscillating by a detent that will be described hereinafter and which is operated in response to the opening and closing of the safe door. a

The shaft 20 is also prevented from oscillating during a time interval by an arm 22' that contacts withan arm 28 on'the shaft20.

' The arm 22 is arranged to slide into and out of contact with the arm 23 ,dependent upon thecoeordinated setting of the alarm construction of the alarm clock with the position of the parts as controlled bythe time mechanism. By setting the alarm mechanism of the clock'mechanism the arm. 22 is engaged with the arm 23, thereby preventing operation of the alarm mechanism during the period of time for which the device is set, so

that the safe door may be opened without operating the pump. When this time passes, by the operation of the time mechanism the arm 21 is brought out of contact with the arm 23 and the spring motor for operating the pump is free to operate. In other words, there are two controls for the operation of the spring motor that operates the pumpthe one that is dependent upon the time mechanism, and the other that is dependent upon the position of the safe door. Duringthe time that the time mechanism operates to prevent operation of the pump, the safe door may beopen'ed without the anti-theft device operating, but when the time mechanism is in an interval that the arm 22 is released from contact with the arm 23,. the operation of the spring motor for operating the pump is under the single control of the position of the door.

This second control comprises a slide bar 24 mounted in supports 25 carried by thesidewall of the safe The slide bar has an extension 26 extending. at right angles thereto, and the extension 26 has an arm 27 at its inner extremity that extends at right angles thereto and into the path of the arm 21 when the slide bar 24 is in rearward adjustment.v The slide bar 24 is moved to rearward adjustment against the tendency of a spring 28 by pres sure on an angular arm 29 forming a forward extension of the slide bar. The extremity of the angular arm 29 abuts against the inner face of the safe door near its free marginal edge. Thus, when the door is closed, the slide: bar is moved backwardly carrying. the extremity of the arm 27 across the path ofthe arm 21, thereby preventing operation: of the spring motor. On the other hand, when: the door is open, and assuming that the time mechanism isin such a position that the arm 23 is released from contact with the arm 22. the slide bar 24 will move forwardly and move the extremity of the arm 27 out of contact with the arm 21 releasing the spring motor that actuates the pump, so that the same will operate. The operation of the pump draws the fluid from the container i and delivers it, under forced pressure, to the nozzle 6 accomplishing the results hereinbefore: set out. a

The construction of the latch device is shown in Figs. 3 to 5, inclusive. The slide bar 245 formed with a-notch having a shoulder 30 and an inclined face 31. The latch bar 32 has a projection therein forming a shoutder 33 and an inclined face 34. The latch bar is mounted for sliding engagement in a support 35 attached to the face of theside wall of the'safe. The latch bar is provided at its upper portion witha pin 36 that extends inwardly from the rear face thereof and through the latch bar forming a finger piece extending outwardly from its front. face. The slide bar 2 l has a notch in its upper edge,

said notch being set in advance of'the shoulder 30.

The latch operates as follows: When the door is open and it is desired to hold the slide bar 24 in position so that the extremity of the arm 27 will engage the arm 21 and prevent mechanism from operating, the latch bar 32 is raised until the shoulder 33 engages against the shoulder 30. This prevents the slide bar 24 from moving forward and causes the extremity of the arm 27 to remain in position to intercept the arm 21. After the device is set in this position and the door closed, the slide bar is moved to disengage the shoulders 30 and 33, which causes the latch bar 32to drop to the position shown in Fig. 4. Thereafter, when the door is open, the. slide bar 24 will be" drawn forward through the action of the spring 28, and the pin 36 will drop into thenotch 37 holding the slide bar from movement and preventing" the same from moving. rearwardly, whereby the extremity of the arm 27 will be held outof engagement with the arm 21, so that the door cannot be closed to return the slide. bar until the latch. bar 32 has been again set in the positionshown in: Fig. 3. It is thus seen that the latch provides means for settingthe device to render it inoperative during the period of time that the safe door is open during authorized periods of time. After the door has once been closed, the construction will operateto place the pump motor in operation unless the door is open. during the set period of time that the arm 22 engages the arm 23.

From the foregoing it will be understood that the construction provides means for protecting the contents of a safe by causing those contents tobe identified by spraying over the same an identifying fluid. whenever access tothe safe is attempted at an unauthorized time by the opening of the safe door.

I am. aware that the invention may be modified in certain particulars without departing from the scope of the invention. I do not, therefore, limit myself to the exact invention shown and described but what I desire to claim and secure by Letters Patent is:

1. In a device of the class described, the combination of a safe provided with a hinged door, a fluid container supported within the safe, a supply conduit leading fromsaid v of liquid during a predetermined time in terval. V

2. In a device of the character described, the combination of a safe provided with a. hinged door, a container for supplying liquid, a spray nozzle connected with said container, a pump between the container and the spray nozzle, a power device for operating said pump, means rendering said power device inoperative when the safe door is closed and releasing said power device for operation when the safe door is open.

3. In a device of the character described, the combination of a safe provided with a hinged door, a container for supplying a liquid, a spray nozzle connected with said container, a pump between the container and the spray nozzle, a power device for operating said pump, means rendering said power device inoperative when the safe door is closed and releasing said power device for operation when the safe door is open, and a secondary means controlled by time mechanism for rendering said power device inoperative during a predetermined time interval.

4. In a device of the character described, the combination of a safe provided with a hinged door, a container for supplying a liquid, a spray nozzle connected with said container, a pump between the container and the spray nozzle, a power device for operating said pump, mechanism rendering said pump inoperative when the safe door is closed and releasing said power device for operation when the safe door is open, and a latch device for latching said mechanism against operation when the safe door is open and releasing said mechanism by the closing of the afe door.

5. In a device of the character described, i

the combination of a safe provided with a hinged door, a container for supplying a liq uid, a spray nozzle connected with said container, a pump between the container and the spray nozzle, a power device for operating said pump, means rendering said power device inoperative when the safe door is closed, and to release said power devicefor operation when the safe door is open, a secondary means controlled by time mechanism for rendering said power device inoperative during a predetermined time interval, and a latch device for latching said means against operation when the safe door is open and for releasing said means when the door is closed.

MARY E. GILL. 

